Method of treating yarn



May 5, 1953 P. MILLER METHOD OF TREATING YARN' 2 SHEETS--SHEET 1 Filed Nov. 6, 1948 INVENTOR 1014115 1? Ml pez' ATTORNEY M335, 1953 L. P. MILLER 2,637,658 T METHOD OF TREATING YARN Filed NOV. 6, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 INVENTOR- loaxfs' f jllf/r Patented May 5, 1 953 METHOD OF TREATING YARN Louis P. Miller, Plainfield, N. J., assignor to Specialties Development Corporation, Belleville, N. J., a corporation of Newv Jersey Application November 6, 1948, Serial No. 58,774

The present invention relates to treating yarn and the like, and, more particularly, to a method of treating yarn to increase the tensile strength and decrease the stretch thereof wherein the yarn is impregnated with a treating solution, is elongated and is then dried.

Such methods have been proposed for treating yarn, cord, thread, rope and the like, composed of bundled and twisted animal and vegetable fibers as well as synthetic fibers, which are to be used for sewing the soles on shoes, tying bouquets of flowers, the production of tire fabric and many other uses Where high tensile strength and low stretch are desirable.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved and useful method of treating yarn and the like in such manner.

Another object is to provide a method wherein the impregnation period of the yarn is prolonged to insure thorough penetration of a treating liquid preferably containing a bonding agent.

Another object is to attain such prolonged impregnation while carrying out the treating process at a rapid rate. 1

Another object is to provide a method wherein prolonged impregnation is aided by working the yarn during this period to slightly loosen or untwist the fibers of which the yarn is composed to release entrapped air and enable the impregnant to penetrate substantially to the center of the yarn.

Another object is to provide a method wherein the yarn is compressed to effect or aid elongation thereof.

A further object is to effect such compression at a plurality of points during the impregnation of the yarn.

A still further object is to provide a method wherein the fibers of the yarn so treated are permanently set by the bonding agent.

Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.

3 Claims. (Cl. 117-7) In accordance with the invention, these objects slightly loosen or untwist the individual fibers to relieve entrapped air and to maintainthe yarn open for a prolonged period or a plurality of intervals to enable the impregnant to penetrate substantially to the center of the yarn.

More specifically, the yarn is treated to facilitate impregnation by utilizing a method which includes advancing the yarn in a lengthwise axial direction, applying pressure to the length of yarn at diametrically opposite continuous lengthwise extending zones of engagement along the length of yarn while being advanced, applying back and forth movement tangentially with respect to the yarn at the zones of engagement to effect rolling of the yarn, and supplying liquid impregnant to the length of yarn within the zones of engagement.

In working the yarn, compression is applied at a plurality of points or along a length thereof while in the impregnating zone which effects elongation of the yarn as observed by its increase in length. The yarn is then dried to effect hardening of the bonding agent and a permanent set of the fibers while advancing the yarn under sufficient tension to effect stretch and further elongation thereof or under only such tension required to take up the slack or stretch caused by the relaxation of the yarn during the drying operation and required to maintain the fibers of the yarn in their rearranged position while the bonding agent is permitted or caused to harden to permanently set the fibers. I

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and description, and is shown in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the specification, wherein:

Figure l is a schematic view of apparatus diagrammatically illustrating the treatment of the yarn in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is an end view, partly in elevation and partly in section, illustrating apparatus for performing the impregnating and compressing steps.

Figure 3 is a sectional View taken along the line .'-l-3 on Figure 2.

7 Figure 4 is a plan view of the machine shown in Figures 2 and 3.

Referring to the drawings in detail, apparatus is shown in Figure 1 thereof for performing the method of the present invention, the operation of which will serve to illustrate the method in which the yarn is treated. One or more strands of yarn Y are pulled or delivered from a source of supply and are passed between a pair of upper and lower belts 44, each supported on a pair of the upper'belt contacts the upper strand of the lower belt and the lower strand of the lower belt passes through a bath of impregnant in a receptacle 45. The rolls 42 are moved endwise with respect to each other in a manner about to be described hereinafter whereby the belts 44 cooperate to work th yarn while passing between the belts to slightly loosen or untwist the fibers of the yarn to relieveentrapped air and thereby enable the impregnant, supplied by the lower belt, to penetrate substantially to the center of the yarn. These belts also effect compression of the yarn along the length thereof passing between the belts to produce an elongation or increase of length in the yarn.

It will be understood that the yarn could be passed under the lower belt and through the bath before passing between the adjacent strands of the belts, as shown, or could be passed directly from the source of yarn supply between the-belts whereby the lower belt serves as the sole means for supplying theimpregnant to the yarn. Also, it will be appreciated that the belts could bedispensed with and thatthe yarn could be merely; passed between; the; pairs of rolls 42, whereby working of the yarn, including compression thereof occurs at thepoints defined by thenips of the rolls.

The impregnated yarn is passed. through power driven squeeze rolls 20 which are operated ata surface speed. slightlygreater than the surface speed of the belts 44 (or the rolls 42) to takeup,

the elongation in the yarn which occurs in pass ing through the belts; The yarn may then be passed directly through a drying chamber 22',v

such as an oven or the like, wherein the liquid inthe impregnantis-removed by evaporation while the bonding agent contained therein is permitted or caused to be hardened tosetthe fibersas con-- ditioned by the belts. 44.

Alternatively, before passing the yardthroughthe oven, the yarn may be passed through a pair of pull rolls- 24, as shown, to tension the yarn almost to its breaking point and to effect further elongation thereof to decrease stretch.

The yarn isremoved from the oven by power prises a base'30 and a pair of upright sideframes 3i mounted on the base for rotatably mounting. a drive shaft 32 and an operating shaft 34 and for rotatably. andislidably mounting a pair of upper roll shafts 35 and a pair of lower roll shafts 36.

The operating shaft 34 is adapted to be-rotatedf.

by the drive shaft through a gear 31011 the drive shaft meshing with a gear 38 on the camoperating shaft. One of the shafts 35 and one of the shafts 36 are adapted to be rotated by the drive shaft through a gear 48 on the shaft 36 meshing with the gear 37 on the drive shaft and a gear t! on the shaft 35 meshing with the gear 49.

Each of the shafts 35 and 35 has a roll 42 keyed thereon'for rotation therewith, and a continuous belt or apron 44 is --mounted on the pair of upper rolls and: on the pair of lower rolls.

desired number of strands of yarn therebetween;

The receptacle 45, adapted to contain theimpregnant,is supported .by-the side frames-3| a position-wherebythe lower strand of thezloweri These belts are formed of relatively soft pliable material and are constructed and arranged for feeding any" belt 44 passes through the impregnant and applies the same to the yarn passing between the belts.

Both the upper shafts 35 and the lower shafts 36 are adapted to be moved back and forth endwise to effect sidewise back and forth movement of the belts. This is accomplished by eccentric mechanisms 46, each provided with an arm 41 connected to a cross bar 49 (Figure 5), each bar having a pair of shafts 35 and 36 rotatably journalled therein in a manner to effect endwise movement thereof. The eccentric mechanisms are driven from the operating shaft 34 by intermeshing gears 58, 5!, 52, 53, 54, respectively, and are constructed and arranged to provide opposed cycles of movement, that is, one eccentric mechanism moves the shafts 35 towards the right while the other moves. the shafts 36 towards the left and vice versa.

In operation, yarn is fed between the belts 44 and the back and forth movement thereof, while in rubbing contact with each other, subjects the yarn to a kneading or rolling action which opens the yarn sufliciently to enable the'impregnant topenetrate to the center. By feeding the yam between belt strands of a substantial length, one of which carries the impregnant, the yarn is subjected to an impregnating action for a duration of. time which insures penetration of the impregnant.

Also, the belts serve to compress the yarn, particularly if the yarn has a light twist, to thereby compress and compact the same and effect the resulting elongation thereof.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen i that the present invention provides an'improved method of treatingyarn and the like which is simple, practical and. economical and readily lends itself to the production of yarn having increased tensilestrength and decreased stretch.

As various changes may be made in the form,

construction and arrangement of the parts here in, without departing from the spirit and'scope of the invention and without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrative and-not. in any limiting sense.

It isalso to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all the generic and' specific features of the invention herein described, and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might besaid to fall therebetween.

This application is a continuation-impart of my prior application for Letters Patent of the United States, Serial No. 755,078, filed June 17, 1947, now Patent 2,577,793.

I claim:

1. The method of treating a strand of yarn in twistedcondition which comprises advancing the yarn in a lengthwise axial direction, applying pressure to a length of the yarnat diametrically opposite continuous lengthwise extending zones of'. engagement along the length of yarn while being advanced, applyin back and forth movement tangentially with respect to the yarn at said zones of engagement to subject the yarn to a rolling action back and forth transversely to the axis of movement of the yarn while being advanced to thereby slightly untwist the yarn and open the same within-said zones of engagement, and supplying liquid impregnant to the length of yarn within said zones of engagement.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the speed. at which theyarn is advanced-thelength of: saidzcnes of engagement andthe am' plitude at which the yarn is rolled back and forth are such that a given point in the length of yarn While within said zones of engagement is untwisted and retwisted.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said yarn is first passed through a bath of liquid impregnant.

LOUIS P. MILLER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Scott June 16, 1896 Number Number 6 Name Date Bayne Dec. 17, 1907 Price Sept. 5, 1916 Wardwell Sept. 16, 1919 Wardwell Apr. 29, 1924 Whiifen Jan. 28, 1930 Jennings Nov. 12, 1940 Bosomworth Aug. 7, 1945 Philipp June 29, 1948 

1. THE METHOD OF TREATING A STRAND OF YARN IN TWISTED CONDITION WHICH COMPRISES ADVANCING THE YARN IN A LENGTHWISE AXIAL DIRECTION, APPLYING PRESSURE TO A LENGTH OF THE YARN AT DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSITE CONTINUOUS LENGTHWISE EXTENDING ZONES OF ENGAGEMENT ALONG THE LENGTH OF YARN WHILE BEING ADVANCED, APPLYING BACK AND FORTH MOVEMENT TANGENTIALLY WITH RESPECT TO THE YARN AT SAID ZONES OF ENGAGEMENT TO SUBJECT THE YARN TO A ROLLING ACTION BACK AND FORTH TRANSVERSELY TO THE AXIS OF MOVEMENT OF THE YARN WHILE BEING ADVANCED TO THEREBY SLIGHTLY UNTWIST THE YARN AND OPEN THE SAME WITHIN SAID ZONES OF ENGAGEMENT, AND SUPPLYING LIQUID IMPREGNANT TO THE LENGTH OF YARN WITHIN SAID ZONES OF ENGAGEMENT. 